Bike Tires Buying Guide
Buying a new set of
Types of Wheelsets
Tires (the metal wheelsets) differ, in among other ways, by how they attach to the wheel. Most tires these days are 700x23c.
* 700 is size of the wheel and refers to the wheel's circumference (also known as the rollout distance—the distance it takes a wheel to complete one rotation).
* 23c is the width of the wheel.
Smaller road bikes and most triathlon bikes use a slightly smaller
27" tire.
To make things even more confusing, there's also a universal tire size system, known as ETRERO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization), which is, surprise, surprise, typically used in Europe. In this system, a 700c size tire is known as ISO (International Standards Organization) 622mm, 650c tire is ISO 571mm, older 27" tires are 630mm and a mountain bike tire, which are usually 26" tires, are known as ISO 559mm. What's more, the number order on the tire is often reversed: width by diameter (ie. a 700x23c is known as a 23x622mm using this system). If you're shopping in the US, you don't need to worry about this.
Whew. If you have that down, then you're ready to move onto tire widths.
Tire Width
Your tire width is determined by the width of your rim, but you'll want to also make sure your frame and brakes have enough clearance to fit the tire. If you're using too narrow of a tire, you'll be more susceptible to pinch flats (when your tube gets pinched against the rim), as well as damaging your rim. A tire that's too wide has similar problems, as well as handling issues.
Types of Bicycle Tires
Top Picks for Road Tires
The most common size for road tires is 700x23, which offers a good, light25mm. If you're a heavier rider or need tires for a tandem bike you might want to consider a 25mm tire. Long distance and touring riders also prefer the slightly wider tire, up to 28mm if your rims can handle it. Some hybrid bikes can handle a big, wide tire around 47mm. It'll give you a cushy, comfortable ride but will be a lot heavier than a narrower tire.
Tread patterns on road bikes are mostly a nontire'>Michelin Grip tire.
Top Picks for Mountain Bike Tires
Mountain bikes will typically use a wide (2.0"2.2") tire. If you're planning on replacing your current MTB tires, make sure to check your rim size since MTBs will usually use a narrower rim to cut down on weight, and make sure your bike frame and brakes will allow a wider tire.
Mountain bikes are where tread comes into more significance and depends a lot on the terrain. For road surfaces and cyclo cross, you can ride a
Kendra Kinetics use even bigger knobs for grip on slippery surfaces, as well as a wider tread pattern so mud won't get stuck between the grooves. Downhill bikers need to focus more on maximizing air volume in their tires to take the shock of hard impacts. Also look for a tire with a wide, knobby tread pattern.
What's New
Here are
Bicycling Magazine's top picks from the new crop of high-end wheels:
Popular Models: Downhill Bike Tires
Popular Models: Mountain Tires
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